Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-11-24
HOW SWORD BEARER DIED.

the death OF Sword Bearer, arrived
IN 81. Paul yesterday. having left
Fort Custer Tuesday evening. Tall,
erect, compactly built and with his
white mustache and English side
whiskers framing a rudy face, Gen.
Armstrong looks every inch a soldier
and movements betray his training
at West Point a quarter OF century
ago. lie is a warm, personal friend
81 Secretary Lamar, who selected him
for his present mission as one who
could be relied upon to carry instruc-
ton from the Interior Department to
the letter, and the manner in which
he accomplished his task has already
become historical. Seated in rotan-
dI Of the Ryan yesterday afternoon,
Gen. Armstrong gave a detailed ac-
count OF the causes that led to the
recent disturbances on the Crow res
eryation, which, lie said, have been
brewing for the past two years. The
most of the mischief was done last
Spring when Sitting Bull, with a par
u OF Sioux warriors, numbering about
!W~, came to the Crow reservation
and pitched his camp almost within
stones throw Of the Custer monu-
ment and began to harangue the
Crows. He made strong impression
upon the young men of the latter
tribe, and especially when he began
to recount his exploits in his contests
with the whites. Another weak point
that he played upon with great stress
was the fact that the Crows did not
receive the same consideration at the
hands Of the government that his
warriors did, and he was partly right
Owing 10 the fact the Crows helped
themselves in making living, they
did not receive as full rations as the
Sioux and especially in the matter Of
beef. This was not lost sight OF BY
the willy Sioux chief, and he tainted
the Crows with weakness in permit
ting such a discrimination. "Mv reo-
Ile would not stand it, he said on
one occasion, Ind when the white
men would not acrede 10 our demands
We went to war with them and forced
them to give Us more Many Of them
We're killed. a that monument point
ing to the shaft erected TO the mem
oly Of zen. Custer will show you.
Don't give in to the white men, and
they will treat you as they have the
~oux.
Such language inhamed the young
bucks OF the Crow tribe. There is
good deal of human nature in an In
dian after all, said the general, "aud
like readers Of dime novels they were
anxious to dierl"y their powers. And
no one was more instrumental in
hcering alive this feeling than 'Chees.
t"-iash, or Wraps Install, who has
been more recently known as Sword
Bearer. He acquired this last title
from the fact that lie carried caval-
~ saber, which he told his followers
was 4 talisman, and that all he had
10 DO was to point it AT the white sol.
Tiers and they would drop dead. rs
medIcIn" man he exerted a power
iIi influence in the tribe and was ably
seconded hy ray Head who i a
mixture OF negro, Piegan and Crow,
and beat Bull, both Of whom coun-
seized retalIatory measures against the
whites on every occasion. This tho
~"rt matters at fever heat and it was
Al then suggestion that the last rand
VI, made hv the Crows against the
.IeIan~ during which i number OF
horses were taken and the cattle OF
the Indians and some Of the white
settlers were slaughtered Ly the raid
els.
Returning from their successful
torav about the latter part Of Septem-
ter, Sword Bearer and his party ce-
termlned to fire into the agency build.
'ngs. although they did not eyince a
disposition 10 Kill anybody. 1t was
about dark when they made their way
into the reservation, shooting and fir.
my their niles in the air and striving
10 iucite the others Indians to an in
SHrrecton. one Of the interpreters
was standing IN front Of the traders
store when member OF the raidiug
party walked up TO him, pressed the
muEzie If his gun against his breast,
then slowly raised il above his head
and fired it oil. Fearing trouble, the
agent sent for company OF cavalry
and they arrived on the scene the
same evening, but no attempt was
made to arrest the participants owing
70 the darkness. The next day. how
ever, Sword Bearer was called irto
the agents Ctiirs ap3 ,,;y.., , ,l